People's Democracy

The Global Protest Day against WTO conference at Doha was observed widely through out Kerala on November 9 at the call of central trade unions and state CPI(M). Workers, peasants, students and youth of Kerala joined in these protests.

More than a hundred demonstrations were held in the state. In Thiruvananthapuram leaders of all the central trade unions including K N Ravindranath of the CITU spoke in the protest rally. In Kottayam a number of demonstrations were held in all the industrial centers. In Ernakulam district demonstrations were held in seven centers. T Sivadasa Menon spoke in the rally at Rajendra Maidanam. At Kalamassery, well known trade union leader S C S Menon addressed the people’s rally. In Kozhikode district there were nine demonstrations and CITU leader M M Lawrence addressed the rally in the city centre. In other districts also the anti-WTO demonstrations attracted hundreds of people.

The protesters demanded the central government to immediately halt the sell out of public sector undertakings and scrap its unscrupulous import policy that is endangering the lives of the peasantry. Kerala is experiencing the impact of these policies with more than twenty five peasants committing suicide due to the impoverishment.

They strongly opposed amendments to the labour laws which are intended to take away the fundamental rights of the workers. They also demanded a comprehensive policy for agricultural labour and its implementation.